Packing stand



H, D. CARLTON PACKING STAND Filed Jan. 2s, 1941 Dec. 22, 1942.

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A TIT P/vf y won M N W Dec. 22, 1942. H. D. CARLTON PACKING STAND Filed Jan. 25,111941.

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FIG. 6 55 .und P/r Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKING STAND Henry D. Carlton, Highlands City, Fla., assigner to Food Machinery Corporation, San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application January 23, 1941, 'Serial No. 375,626

10 Claims. (Cl. 226-58) This invention relates to packing stands and is particularly adapted for packing fresh fruits, vegetables, and the like in shipping cases.

While this invention is adapted for packing many different farm commodities, it is especially useful in the packing of peppers and accordingly will be described as adapted to this use.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, novel, and inexpensive means to facilitate the manual packing of farm produce into shipping cases.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple packing stand which will facilitate the rapid delivery of a commodity to be packed into the shipping container and the presentation to the packer of a constantly changing supply of this commodity from which he may select a choice group of individual entities of the produce for a display layer.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide such a packing stand by which such a packing operation may be carried out with a relatively high degree of eicency without requiring the use of power.

'Ihe manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest. when taken in connection with the following drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my invention showing the reciprocating platform thereof in elevated position before a packing box has been placed thereon.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view at a reduced scale of the packing stand shown in Fig. 1 and illustrating the position of the parts at the start of a packing operation with a box resting on the table.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing how the latch which retains the box table in elevated position may be released.

Fig. 4 is a view similar rto Fig. 3 illustrating the depression of the box supporting table, and the step in the packing operation, which follows this.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the cam hooks of the aforesaid packing stand.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the double platform latch of the invention.

Referring specificallyl to the drawings, the packing stand I0 illustrated therein includes a frame I I having a base I2 upwardly from which angle iron uprights I3 extend, these uprights having vertical guides I4 provided thereon which form guideways I4a. Connecting the uprights I3 is an angle iron cross member I5 which is adapted to support the discharge end of a produce hopper I6. Supported centrally on the cross members I5 and extending rearwardly therefrom is a bracket on which is journalled a pulley 2|, the purpose of which will be made clear hereinafter.

Slidable vertically in the guideways I4a is a gate 22 which is preferably formed of sheet metal, the lower edge of which is bent outwardly to provide a platform 23. Side edge portions 24 of the gate 22 extend downwardly in the guideways I4a below the lower edge of the gate 22 and each is connected with the platform 23 by a framework 25. The angle between the gate 22 and platform 23 is strengthened by a bar 26 welded to the lower face of the platform 23 along itsrear edge. Secured as by welding to this bar 26 and to the bottom of the platform 23 are cam hooks 30, these hooks having cam faces 3| and latch openings 32. (See Fig. 5.)

Supported on the base I2 is a cubical frame 35 having bearings 36 on which is pivotally mounted a shaft 31 having a foot pedal 38 with a latch actuating bar 39 rigidly supported thereon. Extending between the lower ends of the uprights I3 is a shaft 4I) on which side bars 4I of a double platform latch 42 are pivotally mounted. The bars 4I are connected by an upper latch 43 and a lower latch 44, each of these latches constituting an angle iron the horizontal flange of each of which is adapted to extend into the notches 32 of the latch cam hooks when the platform 22 is in one of its two operating positions as will be made clear hereinafter. The double latch 42 is yieldably held in forward position by a spring 5I) connecting the lower latch bar 44 to the cubical frame 35.

Connected to the cross bar 26 and extending over the pulley 2l is a cable 5I from which a counter-balance weight 52 is suspended, the latter yieldably holding the platform 22 and gate 23 in an elevated position when these are not held downwardly during the operation of the packing stand I0. The latch bar 43 is slightly notched at 55 to accommodate thedcable 5I during the operation of the invention.

OpeTatZ'On The normal position of the packing stand I0, between packing operations, is shown in Fig. 1. Here the gate 22 is seen to be in upward position closing the mouth of the produce hopper I6 when the platform 23 is empty. The platform 23 and gate 22 are at this time locked in upperform 23 are now held upwardly only by the.

counterbalance weight E2 and the operator, by bearing downwardly with his own weight vont'he box B, is able to depress the gate 22 and ,platform 23 so as to remove the support of the gate 22 from the produce, such-"as a supply of jbell peppers P, in the hopper. The peppers behind the gate 22 are thus free togravitate over .the upper edge of the gate 22 and the correspond,- ing edge of the box B, and be deposited in the vbox as shown in Fig. 4.

After the latch bar 43 has been withdrawn from the notches 32 as shown in Fig. 3, by depression of the pedal 38 and the downward movement of the platform 23 has started, the operator relaxes his pressure on the pedal 38, permitting the spring 50 to pull the compound latch l2 forwardly again while he is depressing the table 23. As the platform 23 in this downward movement approaches the position iny which it is shown in Fig-4, the lower latch bar -44 is cammed rearwardly by engagement with the cam faces 3l of the cam hooks 39 and is then pulled into the notches32v as shown in Fig. 4 when these arrive opposite this bar. erator new has access to a portion of the peppers remaining in the hopper I6 from which to select the more choice ofthe peppers for forming an upper display layer incompleting Vthe pack in the box B.

When the packing of the box B has thusbeen completed, the operator removes vthe packed box from `theplatform 23 onto a conveyor .disposed at the lower level of the platform 23 and as he does this depresses thepedal 38 which causes vthe counter-weight .52 to return the platform 2S and the gate 22 to their elevated -positions in which theyare shown in Fig. l.

'What I claim is:

l. Ina packing stand, the combination of: a f' -vertically reciprocableplatform adapted to support a box;.a produce. hopper disposed adjacent a given edge of said box; a gate for said hopper disposed between said box and said produce when said box is resting on said platform; .and i unitary means for mounting and supporting. said platform and gate in vanvelevated position .and lowering said platform gate and box as asingle entity to withdraw said .gate from supporting relation with said produce and permit thelatter i to gravitate over said gate and an .adjacent edge of said box and into said box.

2. In a packing stand, vthe combination of: a vertically reciprocable platform adapted'to supporta box; a produce hopper disposed adjacent 'a given edge of said box; a gate for said hopper disposed between said box and said produce when said box is resting on said platform; and unitary counter-balanced means for mounting and supporting said platform and gate in van elevated position and .lowering said. platform gate and box as a single entity to withdraw said gate from supporting relation with said produce and permit the latterto gravitate over said gateand ran adjacentA edge ofsaid-boxa'nd into said box.

The Op* 3. In a packing stand, the combination of a vertically reciprocable platform adapted to support a box; a produce hopper disposed adjacent a given edge of said box; a gate for said hopper mounted on said platform and disposed between said box and said produce when said box is resting on said platform; and manually operated latch means for supporting said platform and gate in an elevated position and facilitating the lowering of said platform gate and box to withdraw said gate from supporting relation with said produce and permit the latter to gravitate oversaid gate and an adjacent edge of said box and into said box.

4. In a packing stand, the combination of: a

Vvertically reciprocable platform adapted to support a box; a produce hopper disposed adjacent agiven edgeof said box; a gate for said hopper mounted on said platform and disposed between said box and said produce when said box is resting on said platform; counter-balance means for continually acting on said platform to return the latter to its upward position; and latchv means for holding said platform in its elevated position.

5. 'In a packing stand, the combination of a vertically reciprocable platform adapted tor support a box; a produce hopper disposed adjacent a given edge of said box; a gate for said hopper 'mounted on said platform and disposed between said box and said produce when said box is resting on said platform; counter-balance means forvcontinually'acting on said platform to return .the latter to its upward position; latch ,means for holding said platform in its elevated position; and latch means for retaining 'said platform in its lowered position.

6. In a packing stand, the combination of a vertically reciprocable platform adapted to support a box; a produce hopper disposed adjacent a given edge of said box; a gate for said hopper .mounted on said platform and disposed between said box and said produce when said box is resting on said platform; counter-balance means yfor supporting said platform and gate in an elevated .position and facilitating the lowering of said platform gate and box to withdraw said gate from supporting relation with said produce and permit the latter-to gravitate over said gate and an adjacent edge of said box and into said box; and unitary, manually-operated means adapted to latch said platform in eitherits ele- -vated or lowered position.

7. In a Vvegetable packing stand, the combination of: means forming a vertical Aslideway and adapted to be positioned opposite the mouth of a produce hopper; a gate for said mouth slidably .disposed in said means; a platform mounted on Ysaid gate for supporting a packing box; and

counter-balance means for holding said platform vand gate in elevated position so that said gate .disposed in said means; a platform mounted on said gate for supporting a packing box; counterbalance means for holding said 1 platform `and .gate in an elevated position so that said gate closes `said mouth, said counter-'balance means -being .yieldable to'permit said platform tobe depressed and thus lower said gate and open said mouth; latch means for automatically latching said gate and platform in elevated position or in depressed position; and means manually releasing said latch means to permit vertical movement of said gate and platform.

9. In a vegetable packing stand, the combination of: means forming a vertical slideway and adapted to be positioned opposite the mouth of a 10. In a vegetable packing stand. the combination of: means forming a Y. rtical slideway and adapted to be positioned opposite the mouth of a produce hopper; a gate for-"said mouth slidably disposed in said means; afp'latform mounted on said gate for supporting a packing lloox; counterbalance means for holding Asaid platform and gate in elevated position so4` that said gate closes said mouth, said counter-balance means being yieldable to permit said platform to be depressed and thus lower said gate and. open said mouth; means for latching said platform and gate in depressed position; and manual means for releasing said latch means to permit said platform and gate to return to elevated position.

D. CARLTON. 

